


Immolate

by kayura_sanada



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Is Secretly A Sweetheart, Arthur Knows, BAMF!Merlin, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-01-24
Packaged: 2018-09-19 16:17:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9450005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayura_sanada/pseuds/kayura_sanada
Summary: Merlin fears his growing magic.





	

“ _Merlin!”_

He collapsed to his knees, his body buckling now that it was all over. He shivered, his hands nearly spasming as his body grew heavy. Arthur knelt down beside him. From somewhere in the deepest parts of himself, he dredged up some sort of smile. “Hey.”

“Hey?!” Arthur screeched, his voice going almost too high. His hands, however, were gentle as they checked Merlin for injuries. “You can't just say 'hey' after having lit a man on fire and collapsing to the ground! Either you're fine or you're near death, not both.”

“I'm not near death,” he sighed. “Arthur, stop it.” He shooed Arthur's hands away and stood. His feet shook a little, but otherwise, he was fine. Still, when Arthur reached out to take Merlin's arm, he didn't protest. “The more I use my magic, the more I seem to feel it inside of me. It's...” He looked down at his hands. Arthur had been surrounded, Merlin left with only a couple of mercenaries swarming around him. He'd shoved his back with little effort, but Arthur – Arthur had been stormed. And he'd gotten hurt. A simple cut on his arm, only enough for the tip of the enemy's blade to be tinged pink.

Merlin had lost it.

Six months ago, he'd been doing little more than setting torches aflame or holding a small ball of fire in his hand. Now, with the same simple word, he could light a man until he burned to ash. He covered his face with his hands and dug his nails into his skin.

He was getting more and more powerful. And soon, he feared that this overwhelming force might no longer remain under his control. And if he hurt Arthur? If he put Camelot in danger?

Arthur grabbed his hands and tugged them down, not letting Merlin yank them free. He just squeezed them tight, tighter, until finally Merlin met his gaze. “You told me once that there is no limit to your magic. That you are magic itself. You will not lose control.” Merlin tried again to pull his hands free. Arthur just pulled him closer, until Merlin stood nose to nose with him. “You will not lose control,” he said again. “It's just you coming into your own. Just as I grew from prince to king.”

Merlin shook his head. “It's not the same.”

“It's exactly the same. I was always meant to be king. And you were always meant to be a warlock. Beside me.”

Merlin gasped. And when his breath hitched, failing him, Arthur met his lips with his own and did it for him. “I believe in you. You must, too.”

And Merlin couldn't deny his king any more then than he could any moment before.

 


End file.
